I have literally had it in the works for over a month now because I keep coming up against walls left and right. I have never read anything with mermaids in it and the only other mermaid I’ve ever known was Ariel from The Little Mermaid. That’s it! So, I’ve been seeking out lots of inspiration for this one.

First was the issue:how exactly do mermaids have sex?

I think I’ve figured this one out. I think I’ve decided how I want it to be done and what I’m hoping to accomplish with the mermaid sex scene(s).

Now, my issue is:how exactly to describe a mermaid tail/fins and the various anatomy of those parts. Plus, how exactly do you describe the color of mermaid scales?!?

So, I went on a Google hunt for some inspiration, which led me to Pinterest and I thought this could be pretty to share. Enjoy some fin-spiration!

If it was specked with more green, this is almost exactly the tail I have in mind:

However, this mermaid tail is pretty awesome too – maybe for a different mermaid character 😉

“A very useful chart for mer-doctors”:

First stories of mermaids had the goddess Atargatis transform herself into a mermaid because she accidentally killed her human lover

“Mermaids are sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings.“

The word “mermaid” is a compound of the words mere (sea) and maid (girl or young woman)

Often equated with the Sirens from Greek mythology who, “would lure soon-to-be-shipwrecked sailors to nearby rocks, sandbars or shoals“

“Sirenomelia, also called “mermaid syndrome”, is a rare congenitaldisorder in which a child is born with his or her legs fused together and small genitalia.” Also, as of July 2003, there are only 4 known survivors.

Mermen are described as wilder and uglier than mermaids and have very little interest in humans

Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989), is based on Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale, The Little Mermaid (1837)

Chinese literature, 15th century, tells of a mermaid who “wept tears which became pearls“

Since 1947, Weeki Wachi Springs has professional female divers who perform as mermaids at “The Only City of Live Mermaids“

The posts for true lovers of mermaids were very inspiring:

Some great vintage mermaid art. This one made me laugh:

Surprisingly, didn’t find more of mermaids with people on land. However, this one immediately touched me:

And finally, Father Tuck’s “Alphabet” Series, 1902:

Also, I discovered the word to describe the color of a mermaid’s tail:

Irridescent

showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles

Synonyms of Interest:Luminous, Lustrous, Opalescent, Prismatic

Tonight, I’m working on writing about the first appearance of the mermaid. Then, I’m going to finally tackle the first sex scene which I imagine will take me a bit to write as I attempt to navigate mer-natomy. After that, we’ll see what happens.